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Hello again,
After riding my Mega in it's 130/160 configuration since I built it up (240 miles ago). I came to realise that the big 160mm fork was having a negative effect on the bike's handling. Even though the frame is recommended to use a fork between 140mm and 160mm, I didn't feel like the bike was quite balanced properly. Having the bars nice and low is something that I'm comfortable with and suits my riding style but with the fox 36 fork on my mega set at 160, having a low bar was just not possible. Even with just one small spacer between the headset and stem.
Running this much travel at the front also had an effect on other things. I found it difficult to rail certain corners because of the raised bottom bracket. Another result of the amount of travel is that the head angle was very slack, and so was the seat tube. This made it hard to keep the front wheel down while climbing.
After doing a bit of research into my forks, I found out that I could lower them with additional spacers. This was the ideal solution! I just had to decide how much to reduce them by.
The axle to crown length of a 150mm RockShox Revelation (spec'd on a standard 2013 Mega TR) is 529mm. The axle to crown length on my Fox Float 36 is 545mm at 160mm travel. So at 150mm it would be 535mm, and at 140mm, it would be 525mm. It would have been perfect to have a 15mm spacer but unfortunately I could not find one. This would have meant the axle to crown would be 530mm, pretty much the same as a revelation.
After some thought I decided to go to 140mm. I didn't think I would be able to feel much of a difference if I only dropped them to 150mm. Another reason was that I used to run a pair of 140mm Fox Van 32 R's on my reign and I never had a problem with running out of travel. I just needed something stiffer.
Anyway, I managed to find a few vague tutorials showing how to lower forks but I didn't feel any were particularly helpful. So I decided to write one myself.
What you will need:
Step 1:
Remove the fork from your bike, make sure it's clean and de-pressurise it by pressing the schrader valve under the blue cap.
Step 2:
Use your 10mm wrench to remove the foot nut and crush washer on the bottom of the calliper side of your fork and store them in a safe place. Keep the fork upside down to avoid fluid leaking out at this point.
Step 3:
Using a rubber mallet, firmly knock the protruding bolt till it dislodges and falls further into the lowers. Now turn the fork the right way up to allow the fluid to drain into the oil pan.
Step 4:
Once all the fluid has drained away in step 3, use your 32mm socket to remove the air side top cap assembly. Make sure your tool has enough purchase on the top cap as it is only made of aluminium and can be easy to bite into. Once you get the top cap assembly off, store it in a safe place. Then turn the fork upside down to empty the fluid seen below.
Step 5:
Use a long thin rod (I used a screwdriver bit) to prod out the shaft assembly. This can be a little stiff.
Step 6:
The shaft assembly should look like the picture below. To install the travel spacer(s), slide the negative coil spring to the left if you are holding it with the threaded end in your left hand. Then clip the travel spacer(s) in the space you have just created between the spring and the bumper.
Once you have added the travel spacer(s), use Stendec suspension grease to generously lubricate this whole unit. Next, insert it back into the top of the fork, thread side first. Make sure it goes most of the way in, but not far enough that the bolt pokes back out through the bottom of the lowers.
Step 7:
Measure 30ml of 10wt suspension fluid and pour it into the lowers of your fork. Next, compress the fork so that the threaded end of the shaft assembly pokes out of the lowers then re-attach the crush washer and nut and torque to 50 in-lb.
Step 8:
Turn the fork the right way up. Add a the contents of one 5ml Fox Float pillow packet to the air chamber, but leave a little left over to lubricate the threads on the top cap assembly.
TOP TIP: You can add slightly more Float Fluid to the air chamber if you want your fork to ramp up more through it's travel!
Step 9:
Lubricate the top cap assembly threads with the remaining Fox Float fluid. Screw the assembly back into the top of the fork and torque to 220 in-lb. Now use the shock pump to re-pressurise your fork. That's it, you're done!
I hope some folk out there found this useful. Feel free to leave a comment! I will be happy to receive any feedback. I shall report back soon to give you an update on how the bike rides now and any improvements.
Happy Riding!
After riding my Mega in it's 130/160 configuration since I built it up (240 miles ago). I came to realise that the big 160mm fork was having a negative effect on the bike's handling. Even though the frame is recommended to use a fork between 140mm and 160mm, I didn't feel like the bike was quite balanced properly. Having the bars nice and low is something that I'm comfortable with and suits my riding style but with the fox 36 fork on my mega set at 160, having a low bar was just not possible. Even with just one small spacer between the headset and stem.
Running this much travel at the front also had an effect on other things. I found it difficult to rail certain corners because of the raised bottom bracket. Another result of the amount of travel is that the head angle was very slack, and so was the seat tube. This made it hard to keep the front wheel down while climbing.
After doing a bit of research into my forks, I found out that I could lower them with additional spacers. This was the ideal solution! I just had to decide how much to reduce them by.
The axle to crown length of a 150mm RockShox Revelation (spec'd on a standard 2013 Mega TR) is 529mm. The axle to crown length on my Fox Float 36 is 545mm at 160mm travel. So at 150mm it would be 535mm, and at 140mm, it would be 525mm. It would have been perfect to have a 15mm spacer but unfortunately I could not find one. This would have meant the axle to crown would be 530mm, pretty much the same as a revelation.
After some thought I decided to go to 140mm. I didn't think I would be able to feel much of a difference if I only dropped them to 150mm. Another reason was that I used to run a pair of 140mm Fox Van 32 R's on my reign and I never had a problem with running out of travel. I just needed something stiffer.
Anyway, I managed to find a few vague tutorials showing how to lower forks but I didn't feel any were particularly helpful. So I decided to write one myself.
What you will need:
- 32mm machined flat socket - I bought mine from eBay but you can pick them up from Mojo here.
- Hex keys - to remove the fork from the bike and the brake calliper from the fork.
- 10mm wrench - To remove the bottom foot nut.
- Long thin thing - I used a screwdriver bit to prod out the shaft assembly.
- Rubber mallet - I used a hammer and a rag as I'm a poor student and can't afford fancy tools.
- Shock pump - to re-pressurise the fork once you're done.
- Measuring jug - to measure 30ml of oil.
- At least 30ml of 10wt suspension fluid - to lubricate the fork lowers.
- At least 5ml of Fox Float fluid - To lubricate the air chamber.
- Stendec suspension grease - To lubricate the negative spring and shaft assembly.
- Oil pan (or washing up bowl) - To catch the old fluid.
- Fox Forx travel spacer - Not pictured as I forgot to take this picture before I started.
 |
| Parts needed |
Step 1:
Remove the fork from your bike, make sure it's clean and de-pressurise it by pressing the schrader valve under the blue cap.
 |
| One de-pressurised 36 fork ready to be lowered. |
Step 2:
Use your 10mm wrench to remove the foot nut and crush washer on the bottom of the calliper side of your fork and store them in a safe place. Keep the fork upside down to avoid fluid leaking out at this point.
 |
| Nut removal |
Step 3:
Using a rubber mallet, firmly knock the protruding bolt till it dislodges and falls further into the lowers. Now turn the fork the right way up to allow the fluid to drain into the oil pan.
 |
| Out with the old fluid |
Step 4:
Once all the fluid has drained away in step 3, use your 32mm socket to remove the air side top cap assembly. Make sure your tool has enough purchase on the top cap as it is only made of aluminium and can be easy to bite into. Once you get the top cap assembly off, store it in a safe place. Then turn the fork upside down to empty the fluid seen below.
 |
| Unscrewing the top cap assembly |
 |
| More old fluid |
Step 5:
Use a long thin rod (I used a screwdriver bit) to prod out the shaft assembly. This can be a little stiff.
 |
| Pushing out the shaft assembly |
Step 6:
The shaft assembly should look like the picture below. To install the travel spacer(s), slide the negative coil spring to the left if you are holding it with the threaded end in your left hand. Then clip the travel spacer(s) in the space you have just created between the spring and the bumper.
Once you have added the travel spacer(s), use Stendec suspension grease to generously lubricate this whole unit. Next, insert it back into the top of the fork, thread side first. Make sure it goes most of the way in, but not far enough that the bolt pokes back out through the bottom of the lowers.
 |
| Before the spacer |
 |
| After the spacer |
Step 7:
Measure 30ml of 10wt suspension fluid and pour it into the lowers of your fork. Next, compress the fork so that the threaded end of the shaft assembly pokes out of the lowers then re-attach the crush washer and nut and torque to 50 in-lb.
 |
| Adding the new fluid |
 |
| tightening the crush washer and nut. |
Step 8:
Turn the fork the right way up. Add a the contents of one 5ml Fox Float pillow packet to the air chamber, but leave a little left over to lubricate the threads on the top cap assembly.
TOP TIP: You can add slightly more Float Fluid to the air chamber if you want your fork to ramp up more through it's travel!
 |
| Adding float fluid to the air chamber. |
Step 9:
Lubricate the top cap assembly threads with the remaining Fox Float fluid. Screw the assembly back into the top of the fork and torque to 220 in-lb. Now use the shock pump to re-pressurise your fork. That's it, you're done!
 |
| Tightening the top cap |
 |
| Finished! |
 | |||
| Ready to rip! |
 |
| Looking more balanced now |
I hope some folk out there found this useful. Feel free to leave a comment! I will be happy to receive any feedback. I shall report back soon to give you an update on how the bike rides now and any improvements.
Happy Riding!
